A few hours later, the group landed in New York. Terry didn’t see Louis, but he saw a bunch of vehicles waiting for them and several trucks ready to move the body of the dragon back to the guild. Once they began to cross the streets of the city, they saw something bothersome.

As Terry, Vanessa, and Rebecca made their triumphant return to the city, the streets buzzed with anticipation and excitement. News of their victorious battle against the fire dragon had spread like wildfire, and the citizens eagerly gathered to welcome them back. The air was thick with anticipation, and the city’s energy was palpable.

As the group approached, cheers erupted from the crowd, echoing through the streets. People clapped, whistled, and waved banners, their faces beaming with pride and admiration. The entire city seemed to come alive, their collective jubilation filling the air. It was a celebration of bravery and defiance, a testament to the indomitable spirit of humanity.

The sight that awaited them intensified the fervor of the crowd. The massive body of the defeated dragon was Towering above them all, carried on a specially designed platform. The dragon’s enormous form, now lifeless and motionless, bore the scars of the battle, evidence of the tremendous struggle that had taken place. The citizens marveled at the creature’s sheer size, its scales glistening in the sunlight, a testament to the epic showdown that had unfolded.

As Terry stood amidst the exuberant celebration, a hint of annoyance flickered in his eyes. Despite the overwhelming show of support and admiration from the crowd, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of annoyance deep within him. The grand spectacle of the festivities, the clamor of jubilant voices, and the constant attention directed at him started to wear on his nerves.

He had never sought fame or adulation. The true purpose of his battles had always his survive and create a better future, not to become a symbol of heroism or a source of entertainment. The boisterous cheers and raucous celebrations felt overwhelming, almost suffocating. Terry preferred the quiet solitude of the battlefield, where his actions spoke louder than any accolades.

As well-intentioned as the celebrations were, Terry couldn’t shake the feeling that they overshadowed the gravity of the battles fought. The magnitude of the sacrifices made, and the dangers faced were diluted by the revelry, reduced to mere spectacle. It seemed that the true meaning of their struggle was being lost amidst the noise and fanfare.

"Geez, you really dislike this kind of thing," Rebecca said while furrowing her eyebrows.

"I am heading to my guild to deal with some problems. See you around," Vanessa said and then jumped on another vehicle with her guild members driving it.

"Speed up. I feel like I am going mad here," Terry declared.

"Aye, aye, sir!" Vanessa said.

At the guild, Terry also found everyone cheering and congratulating him... that was really uncomfortable. Still, he had to at least force a smile on his guild members since they had been with him for a while longer.

Regardless, the next few days, things calmed down, and Terry was thankful for it. During those days of celebration, Louis chose to keep a low profile and hide from Terry for several days following their return. Deep down, he knew that Terry would be furious with him for his actions, but he didn’t regret his decision. In his mind, it was a necessary sacrifice that had to be made for the greater good.

Louis understood the weight of his choices and the potential consequences they carried. He had acted on his convictions, fully aware that it might strain his relationship with Terry and the guild. While he recognized the importance of their camaraderie and trust, he believed that sometimes tough decisions had to be made, even if they caused temporary rifts. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

During his seclusion, Louis reflected on the circumstances that led him to hide. He reminded himself of the reasons behind his actions, convincing himself that he had acted in the best interest of the mission and their ultimate goal of closing the portals. He reassured himself that his intentions were noble, even if Terry might not see it that way.

Just when Terry was about to forget his anger, his guild started to recruit more people, and then something troublesome happened again. Despite his clear stance on not accepting members from other guilds, numerous individuals from different guilds continued to approach him, expressing their desire to join his guild.

Terry couldn’t understand why people didn’t respect his decision. It seemed as though his words fell on deaf ears, and the persistence of these individuals frustrated him to no end. He had made it clear that he preferred to recruit new members from outside the existing guilds, wanting to provide opportunities to those who hadn’t already pledged their allegiance to other groups.

The constant stream of people vying for a spot in his guild was starting to wear on Terry’s patience. He had his reasons for wanting to build his guild from scratch, hand-picking individuals he believed would be a good fit for his vision and values. The influx of applicants from other guilds only made the selection process more complicated and time-consuming.

Furthermore, Terry couldn’t help but feel that some of these individuals were simply seeking to ride on the coattails of his recent victory against the dragon. They saw the glory and recognition he and his guild had earned, and they wanted a piece of it for themselves. It left a bitter taste in Terry’s mouth, as he believed that true strength came from building something from the ground up rather than piggybacking off someone else’s accomplishments.

"Maybe I should make an example out of some insistent guys," Terry thought while furrowing his eyebrows. "I should make it known that I am not the most patient guy to deal with."

"Go play with the monsters in the mechanical warrior’s world. I will deal with this," Rebecca declared.